Scoot Henderson had a signature game against the Jazz on Boxing Day, proving he’s ready to lead the Blazers’ future. He wants to be Portland’s star and be part of the long-term backcourt with Shaedon Sharpe.
Scoot Henderson is Ready To Lead The Blazers’ Future
The Portland Trail Blazers have been on a rebuilding path for the past few years. They have acquired some promising players, chief among them is Scoot Henderson. Although he was the third-overall pick, the 20-year-old has struggled in his first two NBA seasons. This led to some people hastily labeling him a bust.
With his struggles, the Blazers’ future looked bleak. But, after a few good performances, he needs more minutes to prove himself. Against the Utah Jazz, Scoot had a stat line of 18 points, 10 assists, and only one turnover. The biggest play was his game-winning fadeaway to seal the game. It shows he is ready to be the franchise guard but has a few obstacles to overcome.
SCOOT HENDERSON WITH 0.1 SECONDS ON THE CLOCK 🔥🔥
Portland gets the victory in the final moments! pic.twitter.com/YpGvSr4MUk
— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2024
Chauncey Billups Might Be In Henderson’s Way and the Blazers’ Future
While Chauncey Billups is an intelligent basketball mind, his coaching is suspect. Over the past four seasons, Billups has not produced the best results, mostly because of an inconsistent system. He has also struggled to develop some players, which is evident with the young Portland star.
After a family tragedy, Chauncey was not present for the game against Utah. Lead assistant Nate Bjorkgren took over, and his influence was evident with Henderson. The former third-overall pick played a fast-paced game but maintained control on offense. His 10 assists proved he had fingertips all over the game, a promising sign for the Blazers’ future.
Bjorkgren showed immense trust in Scoot, even over Anfernee Simons, the de facto starting point guard. The latter struggled against Utah, only scoring eight points. Henderson proved the interim coach right because he had a fantastic performance, stamped by a game-winning shot. It was a telling game for Billups’ coaching, especially with how the 20-year-old reacted in an interview.
“I would rather that than sit in the corner. If I’m in the game at that moment, God blessed me with the ability to hoop, so Imma use my talents,” Henderson said after the game. “I think Chauncey is watching and knowing that we are a different team than the last game we played.”
Portland Must Trust Henderson and Sharpe Long-Term
At only 20, it is not the time to give up on Scoot. He is still developing, but there are tons of untapped potential. His playmaking alone is promising, as he has a career average of 5.3 assists a game. But, the turnovers are still an issue at 3.2 a night. He averages 11.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and five assists per game this season. Nothing is an immediate standout, but there is potential.
Despite some of the problems, the playmaking ceiling is still extremely high. Henderson’s pick-and-roll game is his biggest strength, as he can work well with any big teammate. The one-two punch with rookie Donovan Clingan has stood out because they know each other’s styles. That is promising for the Blazers’ future because they will be in Rip City for the long haul.
Henderson also has a burgeoning relationship with Sharpe. This is significant for Portland because all signs show they are the long-term backcourt. Scoot has the natural playmaking while Shaedon is a bonafide three-level scorer.
If Portland wants to commit to a full rebuild, they must trust their 20-year-old playmaker. General Manager Joe Cronin must step up and believe in his young players. That will involve trading away the trusted veterans for good value.
Scoot Henderson tonight:
18 PTS – 10 AST – 2 STLShaedon Sharpe tonight:
27 PTS – 5 REB – 3 ASTFuture is bright in Portland 🔥
(Via @realapp_ ) pic.twitter.com/Wgyx85meio
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 27, 2024
Henderson Has the Personality of a Portland Star
Scoot’s numbers and play style are difficult to gauge. But his personality and enthusiasm will not be weaknesses. Seemingly, every Blazers player has nothing but good things to say about the youngster because he exudes positivity.
Henderson is also a natural leader, willing to call out even his veteran teammates. During the Jazz game, he and Deni Avdija blew a crucial assignment. They chewed each other out but quickly resolved the situation after realizing they had the same idea. For a 20-year-old, that is superb maturity, proving Scoot is a natural-born point guard.
The Blazers should try to commit to Scoot because he is a promising floor general for the future. It might be time to give him and Sharpe the keys to be the long-term backcourt. As long as they make significant trades, Portland’s future is secure.
